Hanmer Forest Walks
If you would like to get a detailed map about the walks in Hanmer Springs then head to The Hanmer Springs i-SITE Visitor Centre. It's advisable to check with the Hanmer Springs i-SITE Visitor Centre for any track closures.
All the forest walks are facilitated by an excellent series of carpark access points and marked with good signage.
The mains car parks are:
- Chattertons Road for Chatterton River Track and Jacks Pass.
- Jacks Pass for Chattertons River, Dumblane, and Mt Isobel Summit.
- Mt Isobel (Clarence Valley Road) for Mt Isobel Track, Dog Stream Waterfall, Spur Track, and Pawson Road to Conical Hill.
- Waterfall Car park for Dog Stream Waterfall, Jolliffe Saddle Track, Fir Trail, and Upper Dog Stream.
- Mullans Road for Spur Track, Nature Trail, Fir Trail, Upper Dog Stream.
- Jollies Pass Road for Forest Amble, Walk, and Journey, Woodland Walk, Majuba Walk, Upper Dog Stream, Timberlands Trail, and Camp Track.
The following walks can be completed within 2 hours.
Conical Hill Walk
| Duration of walk: | 1 hour return – moderate walk |
| How to get there: | Conical Hill Walk can be accessed off Conical Hill Road in the village. |
| Description of walk: |
A popular hill walk with magnificent views from the lookout shelter. Originally covered in tussock the walk now climbs through mature exotic plantations of Lawson's cypress, Japanese cypress, giant fir, Atlantic cedar and laburnum – all planted around 1910. Arguably the town’s most popular short walk Conical Hill was developed as a trail to reach the 550m summit and the magnificent panorama of the Hanmer Basin. The zig zag trail is spacious and well graded making it negotiable by almost anyone who has the time to wander up through the pines covering the hillside, these include; western hemlock, Lawson’s Cypress, Japanese cypresses, giant fir, Atlas cedar, and laburnum (all planted around 1910). There is a shelter at the summit with picnic tables nearby where you can rest and really absorb the view. A plaque near the shelter commemorates Duncan Rutherford who helped develop the Hanmer basin. |
| Additional Information: | The trail can be linked to Majuba Walk, which branches off the Conical Hill Walk about halfway up, and Pawson Road which can be reached by descending the track. to the north of the hill. |
Woodland Walk
| Duration of walk: | 1 hour return – easy walk |
| How to get there: | accessed from Torquay Terrace or Jollies Pass Road car park |
| Description of walk: |
A favourite among visitors and residents alike Woodland Walk covers a great variety of terrain together with streamside ambience and grand views of the southern face of Mt Isobel. The walk is a delight, mostly flat, ideal for families, and can be done as a complete loop from Jollies Pass Road carpark. It features forests, including massive Californian redwoods, parkland, streamside, and flax wetlands. There are several picnic tables provided along the way so you can relax and just enjoy the open space and views. Two footbridges cross Dog Stream providing additional interest along the trail. |
Majuba Walk
| Duration of walk: | 1 hour return – moderate walk |
| How to get there: | access is part way up Conical Hill |
| Description of walk: |
An easy winding trail which links the Conical Hill and Woodland Walks providing an enjoyable circuit close to the village. Much of the walk is through recently planted Douglas fir. The trail also offers some nice views around the lower slopes of Mt Isobel. Majuba takes its name from Majuba Hill in South Africa where in 1881 a British force, including Hanmer men, was defeated by Boer troops. |
Dog Stream Reserve
| Duration of walk: | 30 minutes one way – easy walk |
| How to get there: | Dog Stream Reserve is accessed off Scarborough Terrace/Jollies Pass Road. |
| Description of walk: |
A delightful streamside wander can be taken down along the banks of Dog Stream into the reserve, passing over small bridges and gaining some attractive forest views along the way. It's an especially pretty walk to take during autumn when the blush of autumnal colours are at their peak. |
Important Information: |
Suitable for pushchairs. The reserve track has entry/exit points off Cheltenham, Bath, and Leamington Streets and can also be linked to the Forest Walk(s). |
Upper Dog Stream Track / Jolliffe Saddle Track / Timberlands Trail Circuit
| Duration of walk: | 1½ hours circuit – moderate walk |
| How to get there: | across the walk bridge below the picnic area on Jollies Pass Road |
| This track can be used as a longer accessway to reach the Waterfall and Spur tracks or as a round trip in conjunction with Jolliffe Saddle Track and Woodland Walk. | |
| Description of walk: | A varied walk with many options. |
| Upper Dog Reserve: Take the track to the right, it can be walked in its own right to visit the delightful Mullans Road picnic area (with perhaps an add-on of the Nature Trail and Fir Trail). The walk upstream along the undulating track through the trees is very pleasant especially on a fine day, as you approach the picnic area excellent views of Mt Isobel are revealed. Beyond the footbridge over to the picnic area the track becomes rougher and steeper as it climbs to intersect with Jolliffe Saddle Track | |
| Jolliffe Saddle Track: A varied walk beginning either off the Timberlands Trail (which links again to Woodland Walk) or in the north off Mullans Road just down from the Waterfall carpark. The northern approach to the saddle begins across a footbridge over Dog Stream and then climbs steadily via a zig zag through attractive native mountain beech forest to the small clearing on the pass summit. There is a picnic table here and good views of upper Dog Stream and Mt Isobel. Continuing on over the saddle the track passes through dense stands of exotic pines where the sunlight is filtered before it crosses Jolliffe Road and joins Timberlands Trail. | |
| Timberlands Trail: This short forest trails links Jolliffe Saddle track with Woodland Walk and can be walked in either direction but is easier to descend after coming over Jolliffe Saddle. Pines are a feature of the trail and as it reaches the flat at the base of the hill a large area of Californian redwoods are encountered. |
Nature Trail
| Duration of walk: | 20 minutes return – easy walk |
| How to get there: | near carpark on McIntyre Road |
| Description of walk: |
Also a loop track, Nature Trail climbs up along the banks of Isobel Stream, crosses a footbridge and descends the other bank passing through native forest where mountain beech predominates along with an understorey of broadleafs, ferns, and putaputaweta. The trail is easy and soft underfoot with rafts of mosses growing at trackside beneath the trees. Honeydew is a feature of this walk and can be seen and sampled off the trunks of the beech trees en route. It is produced by the tiny honeydew insect and appears as a small silvery droplet protruding from the back mould on the trees - it is very sweet when placed on the tip of the tongue. |
| Important Information: | Families with young children should take special care as there are numerous sudden drops into the narrow streambed at trackside. |
Fir Trail
| Duration of walk: | 30 minutes return |
| Description of walk: |
A loop walk at the top end of Mullans Road beneath the south face of Mt Isobel, Fir Trail is a remarkable short walk that passes through dense stands of fir trees, including soaring Douglas fir (planted in 1956), true fir, and larch, as well as out through open grasslands around the forest edge. The trail undulates through the plantations and has some good views. It links with Waterfall and Jolliffe Saddle tracks. |
How to find Hanmer Forest Walks
Get DirectionsInformation correct as at: 02 September 2023
